Mexico City, May 2021 – This year marks the 10th anniversary of the UNODC-INEGI Center of Excellence in Statistical Information on Government, Crime, Victimization and Justice (CoE) in Mexico City. This partnership, between UNODC and the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) has strengthened national statistical systems and the analytical and monitoring capacity of 29 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean aiming to produce evidence-based public policies.
In line with the UNODC Strategy 2021-2025, our programmes rely on solid data that allow us to understand the context, offer adequate technical assistance and advice, and measure the result of our actions. Using data to improve human lives, promoting research for better security policies and using statistics to promote more just criminal justice systems.
A trendsetter at international level, the Center has been promoting methodological research on complex issues such as the measurement of victimization, corruption, organized crime, and illicit financial flows.
To commemorate this anniversary, INEGI and the UNODC Office in Mexico hosted a webinar to discuss the challenges and future trends of crime statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean. The high-level participants from INEGI, UNODC Research, academia and government institutions, discussed the trends and changes that the region is facing in terms of data and statistics, as well as the global challenges posed by organized crime, the increased threat of cybercrime and the COVID-19 pandemic. The world is in a continuous need of more and better information.
The debate contributed to setting a road map for the CoE, always looking to be a step ahead. Until today, it has worked with 29 countries in the region, promoting the collection and improvement of data, and encouraging the use of evidence for the design of public policies. Also facilitating the monitoring of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals and directly contributing to Goal 17, mainly promoting the “availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data”.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has indicated that producing and using reliable data is a top priority for the advancement of peace, security, and sustainable development. This acknowledgement gives inspiration to the CoE to continue its work and use the experience gained in the past 10 years to expand its scope to other regions.
The Center of Excellence is committed to work continuously to advance and improve the quality of statistical information and contribute to the construction of more just, peaceful, and inclusive societies.
The Center of Excellence is an international trendsetter in improving the production of statistics on governance, security, and justice. It was founded in Mexico 2011 as the result of a collaboration between UNODC and INEGI. Looking towards the next ten years, the challenge is to capitalize on its experience to enhance its outreach to areas such as the measurement of victimization, corruption, and illicit financial flows, amongst others.
